MEDIA RELEASE

During the week of June 4, 2012, through June 10, 2012, Big Island police arrested 17 motorists for drunk driving. Five of the drivers were involved in traffic crashes. One was under the age of 21.

So far this year, there have been 630 DUI arrests compared with 648 during the same period last year, a decrease of 2.8 percent. The numbers of arrests by district were:

District	Weekly Total	Year to Date
Hāmākua 	0		5	
North Hilo	0		2	
South Hilo	3		218	
Puna    	3		82	
Ka’ū    	0		15	
Kona    	10		262	
South Kohala	1		41	
North Kohala	0		5	
Island Total:	17		630

There have been 657 major accidents so far this year compared with 613 during the same period last year, an increase of 7.2 percent.

So far this year, there were 14 traffic fatalities on the Big Island compared with 11 during the same period last year, an increase of 27.3 percent.

To date, five fatalities were related to drugs (4), alcohol (1), or a combination of both (0).

DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.